About two weeks ago, Islamist militants attacked Gao following a pair of suicide bombings. Some militants sailed up to the city's docks, disembarked and began firing. The surprise assault lasted several hours and attackers focused on police headquarters. Troops also discovered a gigantic bomb, weighing about 1,700 pounds in an abandoned house.

Still, France is proceeding with plans to depart Mali, even though the French defense minister admits the African force intended to replace French troops is not yet ready to take over, says the Associated Press.